$50 deposit required to get a quote on a cake?

metalotaku · November 2012

so i went to my first wedding cake place to get a quote on this crazy thing i wanted for a cake. i took in my cake topper and everything i was told i needed over the phone. there they told me to get a quote i'd have to see the owner cause i wanted something really different. and to call and schedule an appointment with her for the first of the year.

we tried to do that today and they told us we can't get an appointment with her unless we pay a deposit first. and this is the same person who told us to make the appointment on saturday.

i'm really peeved about this, because my mom and so really liked the cake, but i'm not paying $50 to be told they can't do it. or that it's going to be $15 a serving. is this common practice? or are they just being a pain because they don't want to do it or what?

leogirl13 · November 2012

Find out if it's refundable. They probably asked for it because A. They don't think you are serious and/or B. They don't WANT to do it because it's labor intencive and they think that because they tacked on a fee you will go somewhere else and they won't have to deal with it. This is pretty much always the case when you are asking for something out of the ordinary.

Maggie0829 · November 2012

If you aren't happy with how they conduct their business or their requirements then look into a different baker.

metalotaku · November 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_food-cakes_50-deposit-required-to-get-a-quote-on-a-cake?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:23Discussion:110a0da9-ec2a-4dad-ba7c-7c665d1398aaPost:bd506871-e410-48d0-b8ee-8d7b87a3c78c">Re: $50 deposit required to get a quote on a cake?</a>:
[QUOTE]If you aren't happy with how they conduct their business or their requirements then look into a different baker.
Posted by Maggie0829[/QUOTE]
i wanted to make sure this wasn't going to happen if i go to another baker.

Maggie0829 · November 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_food-cakes_50-deposit-required-to-get-a-quote-on-a-cake?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:23Discussion:110a0da9-ec2a-4dad-ba7c-7c665d1398aaPost:a13b0be1-b889-434f-ac84-c6573ca6c7af">Re: $50 deposit required to get a quote on a cake?</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: $50 deposit required to get a quote on a cake? : i wanted to make sure this wasn't going to happen if i go to another baker.
Posted by metalotaku[/QUOTE]

All bakeries are different so you really don't know until you ask them. I would also get quotes (preferably ones you do not have to pay for) from at least 2 or 3 different bakeries so that you can compare prices and what they can and cannot do for you. That is unless you absolutely love a bakery and do not care what the cost for the cake will be, you just have to have your cake from there.

IMO, having to pay to get a quote is ridiculous and I would not work with any vendor that requires a payment for a quote.

ElisabethJoanne · November 2012

We didn't want anything elaborate, though it turned out we did want something sufficiently hard to do, the bakers we talked to couldn't. [It involved blue buttercream; no biggy]

One well-established, well-respected bakery did a tasting for free. The other stated there was a $25 charge that would be taken from the final cost of the wedding cake if we booked with them. They never actually charged us the $25. This bakery also had prototype cakes and prices online.

I think stating a tasting charge, but not charging it, is a good business practice. It means people won't book a tasting who aren't surious, because they expect to be charged, but then you leave the tasting on an extra-happy note because you feel you got a discount.

I've never heard of a fee for an estimate when only the baker's time for a meeting, not any actual cake, is involved. If what you want would require experimentation, I could see charging for the materials, even if you don't get to taste them. [I'm thinking your design would require the baker to make some undecorated, unflavored prototypes to figure out what it will take to hold it up or something.]

theelusive1 · November 2012

We had this problem with a contractor once. We were ready to repair. He says I will take my check now. I said check? yes $200. to give you a price. Is that applied to the cost of the bill? No. see ya!

metalotaku · November 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_food-cakes_50-deposit-required-to-get-a-quote-on-a-cake?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:23Discussion:110a0da9-ec2a-4dad-ba7c-7c665d1398aaPost:19c0f749-34c8-456e-b142-b05bcaa50da7">Re: $50 deposit required to get a quote on a cake?</a>:
[QUOTE]We didn't want anything elaborate, though it turned out we did want something sufficiently hard to do, the bakers we talked to couldn't. [It involved blue buttercream; no biggy] One well-established, well-respected bakery did a tasting for free. The other stated there was a $25 charge that would be taken from the final cost of the wedding cake if we booked with them. They never actually charged us the $25. This bakery also had prototype cakes and prices online. I think stating a tasting charge, but not charging it, is a good business practice. It means people won't book a tasting who aren't surious, because they expect to be charged, but then you leave the tasting on an extra-happy note because you feel you got a discount. I've never heard of a fee for an estimate when only the baker's time for a meeting, not any actual cake, is involved. If what you want would require experimentation, I could see charging for the materials, even if you don't get to taste them. [I'm thinking your design would require the baker to make some undecorated, unflavored prototypes to figure out what it will take to hold it up or something.]
Posted by ElisabethJoanne[/QUOTE]

we already did a tasting. they do those for free no appointment. but i took in my things i had collected for my cake to get a quote. she even had what i wanted theme wise on her calendar. so it wasn't hard to show. and they had display cakes and books. we looked. there was nothing close to what we wanted. they said that they couldn't do a quote we'd have the scedule an appointment with the owner cause only she could quote it. when i tried to do so they said i could only have an apointment with her for a quote if i put in a deposit of $50. she wasn't going to make anything for me to taste or anything. just see my stuff and my picture and give me a price. which is why i thought it was weird. since this same lady is the one who said i needed to make the appointment to get the quote and said nothing about being charged to do so. hence why i was very upset.

my mom even told our venue rep about it. and she knew the bakery and had recommended it. she didn't know why we were being told that, and was going to call them herself. low and behold this morning i got a new e-mail from them saying i could come in this weekend and maybe see the owner if she has time. but i could be there for hours just waiting. when i wanted to make an appointment for like janurary.

the rep for a venue has given us several other bakeries to talk to now because of this. and i don't plan to use them, since the rep said that this is the first she's heard of it. and it isn't right.

kipnus · November 2012

Now I'm really curious as to what sort of cake you're looking for!

metalotaku · November 2012

i want my cake to look like the scene from kiss the girl from the little mermaid. my cake tropper is a light box with erica and areil in the boat under the willow trees.

cbleighb · November 2012

I own a cupcake shop and we never charge people for information but we do charge a deposit to book the date. Maybe the employee had the wording wrong when she spoke with you. On the other hand, one of our competitors does charge a $50 fee for a consultation. What I would do if I was you is call and ask to speak to the owner. You can ask her exactly what the charge is for and can book an appointment with her on the phone. If she's not available and doesn't return your call, find someone who will because if they don't have time to speak with you, they won't have time to make you the perfect cake. Good luck!

metalotaku · November 2012

I used this site and found another cake decorator. and we like their flavor options better. and she has picture of more outlandish things she's already done. so we are setuping up an appointment with her.

because sadly the owner isn't avaible much since she's been having health issues. hence why i wanted the appointment in janurary because she was sopposed to be much better then. so all the appointments and things had to be made through the staff.

metalotaku · November 2012

also via this site i found a lot of reveiws on the other cake shop. and sadly a lot of negative from loosing cake toppers, to misdecorating cakes, and not fixing the problem or refunding. including delivering a damaged cake. and considering my cake topper cost a 3rd of my dress i have no wishes to loose it. so i'm happy to be looking else where.

$50 deposit required to get a quote on a cake?

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